‘Asean is our lifeline’: South Korea seeks realistic approach in deepening ties with region

SINGAPORE – Nothing is off the table as South Korea seeks to deepen ties with South-east Asia, with a key adviser to the South Korean President describing the relations as a “lifeline and not a luxury item”.

“We have no historical baggage here like Japan has. Korea does not pose any security threat to any Asean country. We don’t have any hidden agenda to exploit Asean economically or culturally. We are sharing our benefits. The good thing is we have laid a kind of trustworthy and reliable foundation of cooperation between Korea and Asean countries,” he said.

Mr Moon was the first South Korean president to visit all 10 Asean countries during his term. His government not only pushed to bolster economic cooperation with Asean nations, but also actively promoted the region to South Koreans ahead of theAsean has become South Korea’s second-largest trade partner, after China. Bilateral trade between South Korea and Asean grew from US$147 billion in 2017 to US$208 billion in 2022, while South Korea’s investment in Asean increased from US$5.

They discussed the region’s geopolitical and geo-economic situation, according to the South Korean Embassy in Singapore. Dr Park also said their Asean approach this time will be a lot more comprehensive and realistic compared with the previous Moon administration, which he said was more focused on pursuing peace on the Korean peninsula and resolving North Korea’s nuclear issue through collaboration with Asean.

Citing Mr Yoon’s own Asean plan Kasi, Dr Park said it is specifically tailored to the needs of South-east Asian countries and includes a list of some 100 items of cooperation that any Asean nation can pursue with South Korea.

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